The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-05-29
SCENE IN WASHINGTON TERRI TORY.
a Long Procession of Mounted Savages.
A Most Impressive Spectacle.

Most Impressive Spectacle.
Some Years ago, in late August, was
travelling from the land of the Blackfeet
To WaliI Walla. in Washington territory.
l had followed an Indian trail from the
Saskatchewan plains to the Caiotte pass.
In the pass unsaddled my horse for his
noon feed and sat down to smoke. had
ju.t left a noisy, buffalo hunting Indian
camp. and presently | conjured an Indian
scene. Columns of Indians. painted and
strip;El la their brecch clouts, filed past
mo and disappeared in the haze which
hung over the eastern plains. Great
herds Of buffalo sprang into life in my
brain and bS-iis Of Clieyennc-i. Sioux
and Blackfeet pursued them. When the
buffalo were falling and the plains be-
hind me were a map of ever shifting
light and color and active life, the Ute5,
mounted and with bcnt bows ami long.
eToUved war arrows drawn TO their heads,
dashed fast me and battle, savage and
bloody, ragged below.
| sat smoking and wondering why men
ever became lonesome when they could re-
people the remote solitude of highland and
plain and enjoy scenes of human interest.
which, my horse threw up his head and
sniiIeI inquiringly of the air ami then
trOtte,i to me, and stood by my side look
in;s at the summit of the pass. which WAS
a few yards above Us. Presently an In
diail ) head appeared above the crest of
the rance. i sat 4 nj laokcti at him and
he looked ut me. Soon another and another
AMI another dark and savage Visaged head
rose above the CREST. and then the head
of a column of mounted Indians rode into
sight. They were singing their marching
song much rs the Indians in the Wild
West show do. Every trail was occupied.
The Indians looked neither 10 the right
nor to the left. but marched slowly past
me. There were, old men, and warriors.
and Young men. all with their rifles across
their knees, and hundreds of women.
some OF " hoIn we've handsome. and many
children, aud an army of dogs brought
up the rear.
thought L hal coniurcd to very good
effect. For an hour this column swept
past me. and | sat ON rock and smoked
and looked at them. Not a word was
spoken To me. Hardly glance was cast
at me. The migrating people talked TO
one another. and laughed. AMI hal Il good
time generally. Three thourand Indians
deiile,l in front Of me. They were
gay with bright coiOred shirts. and
gaudy blankets, and many colorcd
I9iifftttl l.icSsS. i KNOW tiiit tfttse III
dams We're portions of the Nez Perez,
Flathe;iI, Spokane, Okinagan, Wenat-
chee, and Peud Oreille tribes, and that
they Were going To hunt buffalo on the
Saskatchewan plains and 10 fight the
Blackfeet. These Indians riding past me
in the Cadotte pass made one of the most
impressive spectacles | ever saw in the
heart of the republic.
That evening about dark. while l was
riding westward on the BlackfoOt river
trail, | met a bclatcd Indian who was
hurrying after the main body. He made
signs of inquiry To me, and i answered
with signs. | did not fully understand
the sign language, and the anxious Indian
failed 20 interpret my meaning. Evil
IDENTIFY l conveyed information of direful
import. The d,lsky warrior started in
his saddle. He slapped his mouth with
open palm to express his great surprise,
then wheeled his horsa and galioped off
before | had finished telling my story.
have often wondered what L really told
that SAVAGE and to what impelleI him. -
Frank Wilkeson in New York Times.